Page 62 of To the Moon and Back
He drew back a few inches. His eyes told her he felt the same way. “I’ve dreamed of this as long as I can remember.” He kissed her again, and she knew. She would be his forever. The kiss was everything they’d both thought about and hoped for. Not since she’d arrived in town.
But since they were seventeen.
19
T he Baxter family’s Fourth of July picnics at Lake Monroe were always epic and this year figured to be another memorable one. Everyone had set up their tables and blankets near the grassy shore, and now Ashley and Cole were trying to organize what had become their latest tradition. The one Ashley loved best.
A sand castle contest.
Each family was responsible for building a single sand creation. Their dad and Elaine would create one, too, so in all there would be six entries. Cole had come up with a voting system. It was a complicated but effective idea: each person could choose two sand castles, a first and a second place.
Every first-place vote was worth ten points, and a second-place vote was worth five. Also, you couldn’t vote for your own sand castle.
Once Cole was done explaining the rules Luke yelled out, “There will be a test on this later, in case some of you weren’t paying attention.” He pointed to a few of the younger kids and then he chuckled. “No, really. You can help us grown-ups.”
Everyone laughed and Cole set a timer. One hour to build the best sand castle. Dayne and Katy and their kids were there, too, and this year they’d brought a dozen different-shaped buckets and turret molds and shovels. Kari and Ryan provided each team with a box of decorative seashells.
When Devin saw the supplies he announced that the news should cover the competition live.
“It’ll probably come to that at some point.” Ashley’s dad chuckled.
“Yeah.” Brooke put her arm around Peter. “Then the Olympics.”
“For now, though”—Cole looked at the families—“it’s just us. Best sand castle competition ever.”
The setting sun, in part, dictated the time limit. Landon leaned close to Ashley seconds before the starter went off. “This is us, baby. It’s our year.”
Ashley nodded. “I can feel it.”
Cole gave the countdown. “Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one!” He raised his fist. “Start your castles!”
Ashley loved her family, every wonderful crazy person in the mix. The groups dashed to the supply pile and found what they needed to start building. The way Ashley saw it, her family had the edge. They had the most kids and they had Cole. Who had been planning the Blake Family Castle Idea since May.
The idea was a secret, of course. But now that the time had come, there was no more hiding. They were about to build Aslan, the lion from Narnia. Cole huddled the family together. “I didn’t know about the seashells.” He couldn’t have been more serious. “I think we just won.”
“Why?” Devin’s expression went blank.
“Because.” The answer was clearly obvious to Cole.
Ashley looked from one boy to the other and Janessa did the same thing.
“Okay.” Landon looked at the setting sun. “Tell us about the seashells! Time’s a-ticking.”
Cole lowered his voice. “We’ll use them for the mane.”
“That’s it.” Amy clapped her hands. “You’re right. We just won!”
Ashley smiled to herself as they got busy. She was in charge of building a short castle-type wall around the spot where Aslan would sit. Landon and Janessa would dig the mote around the outside of the wall.
And Cole, Amy and Devin would work on the lion.
“Plus”—Cole was now working furiously, building a smooth platform for Aslan—“we have two artists in our family.” He grinned. “Mom . . . and Amy.”
Ashley caught the way his compliment hit Amy. The look on her face as she basked in her cousin’s praise was priceless. Ashley shared a quick glance with Landon. He smiled.
He had seen Amy’s reaction, too.
The whole family worked so hard and so fast that the hour flew by. As the minutes ticked down, Cole gave warnings. Finally time was up. They were all out of breath, talking and celebrating and covered in sand.
